Vehicle signal



Aug. 14, 1934.

s. F. DAMM Er A L VEHICLE SIGNAL Original Filed Dec. 13

M E? u n..." y NFA E E J VLB .m Nw T ZMD h W im i 5F@ kwm.

Patented Aug. 14, 1934 1,910,494 y n l VEHICLE SIGNAL Samuel F. Damm andIl'rcdjarnov,` Niagara .Falli Application December 13,1930, serial No.

Renewed August .10, 1932v 10 Claims. (Cl. 116-451) Our invention relatesin general ,to vehicle signals. and in particular to that typo of deviceused on automobiles or trucks for indicating the intentions or desireof. the driver of the vehicle,

The principal object or our invention has been to provide a device ofthis nature which may be operated from the interior of the car, and b'which ,the movements of the human hand-may be simulated. g

Another object has been to provide a device which shall be normally heldin its inoperative position in such a manner that it will. not be 636115seen. o

Moreover, our device is so designed that when in one position the handthereof may be waved backwardly and forwardly, or the hand teinporarilylocked in a vertical position, while it is being moved to point eitherto the right or tothe left. Y i

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the deviceshown in the accompanying drawing. oi which:

Fig. 1 is a face view o1.' our device in one or its positions, showing asection through the body 0I the car to which it's attached.

Fie. 2 is a plan View. of the device ln another of its positions,showing it as it appears with the roof of the car removed,

l Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view, taken cn 3o line 3-13 of Fig.2,

vFig. ls an enlarged View of. the hand c! our device in one of itspointing positions.

Our device comprises a control tube 5, which is slidably supported in aplane parallel to the j ,35 windshield of the car by a bearing sleeve 6which is passed through one side o! the body 7 o! the oar and rigidlyfastened ln place in any;` suitable manner. Arranged "on the interior ofthe 'oar is a guide bracket 8 which has a bearing 9 at its '40 inner endfor the support of the control tube 5.

The control tube carries two opposltely arranged detent pins 12 whichare engageable when in the position shown in Fig. 1 with slots 13 formedin the inner end of the bearing sleeve 6, whereby the control tube andits associated parte may be held in a. vdelirante position, as shownln'll'ig. 1, and as hereinafter described. o

The guide bracket Vcomprises side members 15 which' have their innerends 16 osetso as to ,59 provide a pocket 17 in which the pins 12 may be:free to move when the tube is rotated, Such rotation of the tube canineaccomplished 'when 4the pins i2, carried by the tube, are m the posiFtions shown in Fig, 2. The inner ends More x provided with right-angledbent portions 1B to the platei Rotatably carried by the control whichare .ruitalznly` scoured-tothe interior of the car body. VThe oars 15 orthe bracket are so l0- cated'wlth respect-to the controlltube 5, thatthe detentplna 12 -fwill engage with the upper edges of these bars whenthe tube'ls drawn inwardly W to its normal position;`V The relativepositions of the pins withthe bars 15 when in engagement with the upperledges thereof are shown in Fig. 3. When the pins are ln'engagement withthe upper surfaces'of the'bars, 'lt `is obvious that the tube il willbeprevented from rotating.`

Carried at the' inner end'of the control tube 5 is an aetuatingplate 25which is secured to the end ot the' tube by means yo1.' clamps 26fastened plate isan'actuatlng shaft 27 which carries lan operatinghandle 28 at one end and an operat lng' gear 29 at the' other end. Thegearf29 isle cated on the face o! the plate to which the tube 5 isattached. .An operating rack 30 is carried by the plate is slidablymountedrln suitable bearings 31. This vrack is engageable 'with theoperating gear '29' and is caused to' reciprocate by a rotational?theoperatlng'gear.' A control wire 32 passes through the control tube 5and has its inner end connected to Vthe operating rack 30 whereby"whenythe rack is reciprocatedthe wire will `also be reciprocated.

' Carried at the outer end of the control tube 5 'is a hand plate35,'and the tube is attached to the plate 'by means-of a clamp 36.Rotatabl-y carried by'th'isplate is a hand shaft 37 to the inner end ofwhich issecurecloJ hand -gear 33 'andto theouter lend ofwhich'is securedthe hand 39 o! our device. A hand 'rack 40 is slid#- lably carried byvthe hand plate 35 ,inv suitable bearings 41` and the outer vend'of thecontrol wire 32 icl-atwchedto one endo!! thisl hand rack, wherebywhenthe wire is moved, the rackwill also be moved, thus causing a.movement of the hand about :the axlsof the shaft..

The oomprisesa body portion 42 and a ringer portion '43.' The :fingerportion is provided 'with a hinged platen which is pivotallv attached tothe bodyfportion by means of lugs 45 'and .a pin 46. .A swine-Q7 has-itsend 4B in en agement with the plate 44 of the linger portion, and itsother end 49.1in engagement with the inherits/ce cI-the hand portion 42;whereloevv` the finger portion will be held normally n'its extendedposition as shown in Figs. l .and 2. Carriad by thc' plate Ms a lug 50to vvvl'iich one end of an operating link 5l isattached. The other endof:thls'lnk ipivotally secured to .an arm '52 Xormedkfon' thailand plateand extending k52, the nger portion will -be drawn backwardly, as shownin Fig. 4 by the link -when the hand thus present tothe ,front or rearofthe Vehicle vonly the thumb and forenger of the hand-'which "has'assumeda pointing position.: Obviously, -some 4n'iodiicaticms"of -the 'detailssome distance beyond the pivot point for the hand shaft 37, whereby whenthe hand is moved about its pivotal point, the finger portion will bedrawn up to a position at substantially right angles to the body portionof the hand, whereby the hand will simulate the thumb and forenger ofthe humanlhand when in a pointing posimon. casing', '5.a #isf provided;.thailand plate 35 and covers the operating mechanism (see Fig. 4) Thisplate, for clearness of illustrationl' has been omitted in Fig. 2. r1.5X When our device is in its normal, inoperati, e position, the actuatingplate with theoperat'- ing handle 28 and its associatedpartsiwillbe inthe dotted line position 'shown' in Fig. '1.Alln, such position theactuating" parts andhand parts will be in the relative positionslshwn=ir1'1'igl-y'2, except that they will be drawn inwardlyluntil the pins12 strike the bearing 9 ofmthe guide 5 bracket 8, or until the actuatingplate'has been moved tothe position shown ki'nfdotted:lin'esf-in 1.Insuch position, the hand`39 will lie in ahorizontalplane and inwhich-position it;wil1 not' be readily iseen.I vStarting.irom the normalinoperative position, when I it 1 is desiredstof. put ourfdeviceintouse,the operating Al1andle-28 :is grasped and fthe device is, moved`axially-thus sliding the tube'out through the bearing;sleeve S11-untilthe ,pins v12 lreach the ends ;16,of, the/side plates 15 of-theguidebracket,orl until vthey'have assumed.. a position withinthe recess 17;.-Up ,to this' point in the `axialmovement of the; tube, the pins 12have keptthe hand in1its horizontal position When, however,.the pins.12are in the recess 117., the handle. 28 f mayfbe drawn down.-wardlytoward kthe-operator and lthel'rand.thereby moved .-jto its;Avertical operative, position. When the parts` arein these, positions (see Fig. ,1);.and the handle 28-is proper-1y manipulated, the controltube5, ,the-actuating ,platef and the hand plate 25, both of vwhich arecarried by ythe tube, will oscillateand the handgwill-,pbe wavedbackwardly and forwardly in a planeparallel to the .travel of the car,thus indicating, the intention of the operator toLstop-.the vehicle. Ifit is desired to` indicate a right or left hand turn, .then theoperating handle isrstmoved, asjust above indicated, soj'zas to bringthe.d etent pins V12 within the recess 17 and to bringthe hand in ,aivertical position, after which a furthergaxial movement ofthe tube 5`will cause the detent pins to enter `the slots 13 of the bearing sleeve6. 'This will lockthe'tube'from,further rotation and hold the hand in avertical plane. When in this kposition `the operating handle :may bemoved either to the right or leftasl desiredand as indicated `bythedotted line-position shown in Fig. 1, which will cause the operating.gear 29 to.-reciprocate4 the y operating rack 30 in the-desiredzdirection; This in'turn will cause the control wire 32 to. bemoved within the tube 5-.and vcause the operation :of the hand rack,40in .the same direction'` The movement 'of the rack through themedium-iofzthehand vgear r38 will cause the rotation. of :the hand.about itsY axis. Since, however,V the ngerportion 43of1the hand isconnected'by means' ofthe link 51 to the arm isrotated toeither ofl itspointing positionsiand hereink shown and described :may be v made'.vwithout departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of theappended claims, and we do not, therefore, wish to be limited to theexact embodiment herein shown and described, the form shown being merelya preferred embodiment thereof.

-.`I-Iaving thus-described our invention, what We lm,.S-.. 12:. i if?. jl

1. In a vehicle signal, the combination with a rotatably mounted controlmember, of signal means carried by the control member, comprisinganrotatably mounted hand movable in a plane parallel to the axis ofrotation of the control membe r, ,the-.handconsisting of a body part andIa linger part, the nger part being pivotally carlried by thebody part,and means connecting the linger parft'with the vcontrol member, wherebywhenthe hand is rotated on its axis in either direction,the nger partwill be drawn back at an angle to the body part.

2.5'A vehiclev signal comprising 'a control tube, va bearingsleeve"carried by the vehicle for rotatably and 'ialso reciprocably mountingthe tube, a hand plate earrie'dat'the outer end of the -tube,"al handpivotally mounted on the plate, a control plate mounted-fonitheinner endof the tube, a pivotally mounted l-'operatinghandle carried by thecontrol plate, -acontrolfwire' 'reciprocablymounted within the tube, andmeans for connecting'the control wirewith the hand and with theoperating handle, -`hereby the vhandmay bev moved to `the right r'ttheleft upon its aXisf l 3. A Vehicle signal comprising` a control tube,jafbearing sleeve carried by the vehicle for rotat- .ablyf'an'dalso'reciprocably mounting the tube, `a

hand plate carried at the outer lend ofthe tube, a handpivotallyrnounted on the plate, a" control plate mounted on the innerend of the tube, a

pivotally mounted -operating handle carried by, the control plate, .acontrol wire reciprocably l mountedwithin'the tube, and rack and pinion,means for connecting" thecontrol wire with the hand a'ndwiththe.operating handle, whereby 'the hand'may be moved 'tof the right ortothe left upon itsaxis. Y.

4.'A vehicle signal comprising a control tube, a bearing sleeve carriedby the vehicle body for -rotatablyand also reciprocably supporting thetube, a guide bracket carried by the vehicle'and khavinga bearing-forthetube, detent pins carried by the tube ,and movable axially between thebearing; sleeveand the bearing of vthe vguide bracket, the guide brackethaving Vbars which engage the detent pins when their axes lieinahorizontal plane, the guide bars having oiset inner ends, whereby thedetent pins arereleased from engagement with the bars, permittinglrotationof the tube. -v i 5. ,A vehicle signal comprising a ycontroltube, a bearing sleeve carried by the vehicle body for rotatably andalso reciprocably supporting the tube,

a guide bracket carried by the vehicleand having Va bearing fonthe tube,detent pins carried by the tube and movable, axially between the bearingsleeve andiv the bearingof the guide bracket, the

guide bracket having bars which engage the de- Stent pins when'theirfaxes lie in a horizontal plane, theguidebars having oiset inner'ends, whereby 'the detent pins are released from engagement :with thebars, permitting rotation ofthe tube, .th-bearing sleeve being formedwith diametrically'opposite slots in itsinner end for engagement :withthe .detent pins; 4the axes ofthe slots being iin a'vertical plane,indicating means carried at the outer end of the tube, and operatingmeans carried at the inner end of the tube.

6. A vehicle signal comprising a control tube, a bearing sleeve carriedby the vehicle body for rotatably and also reciprocably supporting thetube, a guide bracket carried by the vehicle and having a bearing forthe tube, detent pins carried by the tube and movable axially betweenthe bearing sleeve and the bearing of the guide bracket, the guidebracket having bars which engage the detent pins when their axes lie ina horizontal plane, the guide bars having offset inner ends, whereby thedetent pins are released from engagement with the bars, permittingArotation of the tube, the bearing sleeve being formed withdiametrically opposite slots in its inner end for engagement with thedetent pins, the axes of the slots being in a vertical plane, a controlwire mounted within the tube, a rotatably mounted indicating handcarried at the outer end of the tube, a rotatably mounted control handlemounted at the inner end of the tube, and means connesting the controlwire with the hand and with the handle, whereby the hand may be rotatedupon its axis.

'1. In a Vehicle signal, the combination with a control member, ofsignal means comprising a hand plate, a gear rack slidably carried bythe plate, a hand rotatably carried by the plate, a gear pinion carriedby the hand and engageable with the rack, means for reciprocating therack to cause the rotation of the hand, the hand comprising a body partand a iinger part, the linger part being pivotally attached to the bodypart, a spring means for keeping the finger part in normal position, anarm carried by the hand plate, and means connecting the arm with thefinger portion, whereby the finger portion will be drawn backwardly whenthe hand is rotated in either direction upon its axis.

8. A vehicle signal comprising a control member, signal means carried bythe member, said member being so mounted that it can be rotated atsubstantially the end of its outward movement while the signal means isin one of its indicating positions, and also so mounted that it can bereciprocated axially in non-rotative manner during the major part of itsmovement outwardly to its rotatable position, a guide bracket for themember, and detent pins carried by the member and engageable with thebracket for keeping the member in its non-rotative position during itsmajor reciprocating movement.

9. A vehicle signal comprising a control member, signal means carried bythe member, said member being so mounted that it can be rotated atsubstantially the end of its outward movement while the signal means isin one of its indicating positions, and also so mounted that it can bereciprocated axially in non-rotative manner during the major part of itsmovement outwardly to its rotatable position, a guide bracket for themember, detent pins carried by the member and engageable with thebracket for keeping the member in its non-rotative position during itsmajor reciprocating movement, and the inner ends of the guide bracketbeing offset, whereby the pins will be free to rotate when the controlmember is in one of its outer positions.

10. A vehicle signal comprising a control member, signal means carriedby the-member, said member being so mounted that it can be rotated atsubstantially the end of its outward movement While the signal means isin one of its indicating positions, and also so mounted that it can bereciprocated axially in non-rotative manner during the major part of itsmovement outwardly to its rotatable position, a bearing sleeve carriedby the vehicle body and disposed about the control member, the bearingsleeve being formed at its inner end with a slot and a detent pincarried by the control member and engageable with the slot when at theouter end of its reciprocating movement, whereby the member will be xedin one position.

SAMUEL F. DAMM. FRED BJARNOV.

